University of East Anglia graduate Smith, 30, an ambassador for the charity, nicknamed the car "The Shed".

The charity said an "ordinary" Corsa of the same age would be worth about £250.
The eBay auction
of the car, first registered on 30 November 2000 and with about 60,000
miles on the clock, started 10 days ago with an opening bid of 99p.'Beloved car'
After an epic battle between 64 bidders, the auction closed earlier with one new owner's wallet £6,300 lighter.

Before the auction, Smith said one of his reasons for selling
was because the car had sat unused outside his parents' house in
Northampton, and "I understand they want their driveway back".

He described the winning bid as "brilliant"
.
Neil Swan, chief executive of Starlight Children's
Foundation, said: "The charity's aim is to brighten the lives of
seriously and terminally ill children and we are enormously grateful to
Matt for donating his beloved first car.

"The funds raised will enable the charity to bring fun and laughter to some very poorly children and their families."